Elizabeth Smart Thread, 9/17/02 to ???

[GovernmentShrinker]

Perhaps, but I think when they do that the profile page search shows "no current freeper by that name". When they take out alter egos, it's permanent, since those are officially not permitted.

[varina davis]

Just not her style -- she was always a peacemaker.

I really can't think of anything -- but then I don't read all of the posts, because I'm not on that much, mostly at night.

[scaredkat]

I havent been able to find out any new information except she is still missing.

As to that guy, nothing not even on rather he is in jail or if there wasnt enough effidence on him. (like others we know). I just wonder if hes out there. He is scary looking and also profile kindof matches.

I found him when I was researching in june, looking into missing persons around the same age as Elizabeth. four girls in utah and three in Idaho and now Elizabeth. I was trying to see if there was any connections. We now know about two in Idaho. Now its five in utah and one in Idaho. I know there are more missing than these, but I was looking at certain ages and scenarios.

Just thought I would share some of my research to see what others thought.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I think Utah Girl has gone to bed, so I'll answer your question. In most areas outside of the "Mormon corridor", the missionary work focuses on a certain area for a while, and when it has approached all the homes twice or so (over a period of a couple of years, usually), they switch to another area. Of course, if an area is still yielding new converts, they'll stick around, but usually there comes a point when it makes sense to move on. They "only" have 50-60,000 missionaries in the field at any one time, and they're operating in dozens of countries, so they can't provide constant coverage everywhere.

Plus I think they're sensitive to the fact that it's pretty annoying when missionaries from the same church keep coming to the same door over and over again, no matter how many the times the occupants have said they're not interested. If you've seen any of the threads on FR (and elsewhere) about "how I deal with Jehovah's Witnesses who come to my door", you can imagine that the Mormons are not eager to become the next targets of such sentiments.

Personally, I wish they'd get to work in the radical Muslim countries. But alas, they only go to countries where the government approves their presence and activities, so I'd better not hold my breath.

[Utah Girl]

What city/town do you live in? Were they young men (missionaries?) that were going from door-to-door? Speaking in generalities, cities are usually divided into areas or districts, and the missionaries are assigned accordingly. Sometimes areas won't have many interested people, so the mission president will have the assigned missionaries try a different approach or a different area, and then send them back after a bit. Oh, sometimes two lady missionaries will go proselyting also.

[Utah Girl]

Good answer!!! We'd like to get into Muslim countries also, but since all of them ban freedom of religion, it is rather hard. Someday, perhaps.

[GovernmentShrinker]

There's hope. Y'all broke into China waaaay early. Ahead of the U.S. government, as I recall. That's a good story, worth reading up on.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Guess you hadn't gone to bed after all . . .

BTW, what do you make of the banning of jengaio?

[Utah Girl]

I don't know, I just looked at her account a few minutes ago. Too bad she is gone, I liked her comments.

[varina davis]

What city/town do you live in? Were they young men (missionaries?) that were going from door-to-door?

I live in quite a small town. I believe they were youbg men, dressed exceptionally well and very polite, etc. It's been several years or more since I've seen any Mormon missionaries. Maybe this wasn't a fertile area.

Actually, I've spent a lot of time over the years reading about the LDS -- and not the so-called "exposes." Prefer the biographies and auto-biographies.

[Utah Girl]

China? I don't think we're officially allowed to send missionaries there yet. My neighbor has been twice to teach English in Beijing and Shanghai, and she had to sign a document saying that she wouldn't try to convert anyone. She is a wonderful lady, she has sponsored many of the young Chinese people she taught English to, and some have lived with her as they've completed their schooling here. (We do have missionaries in Taiwan and Hong Kong.)

[Utah Girl]

I'm hijacking the thread, but what biographies have you read? I love to read.

[GovernmentShrinker]

It looks like a temporary banning, though if it annoys her enough she might decide to stay gone of her own accord. Hope not.

[Utah Girl]

Usually if it is a temporary banning, they'll put something like "to be reinstated in 24 hours..."

[Sherlock]

That's why FR has a religion forum, and a rule against "bashing" any religion (and your constant criticisms of and challenges to the Mormon religion is reaching the bashing level).

Indeed to a non-believer this well may appear to be bashing. I would be interested in what part you would consider bashing. We as Christians are called to defend the faith, I'm sorry you're not accustomed to spiritual warfare, it can be uncomfortable to non-believers and particularly liberals. The Mormons are certainly known to be active in seeking people out and sharing what they believe. We believe people's destinies depend on what they believe. I am certainly always open to any questions or criticism of the Christian faith, it certainly doesn't bother me.

[varina davis]

It's been a while back and I wish I could recall the titles, because I'd like to read them again. One was called something like: The 27 wife (?); another was more recent, written by a wife and mother and it did reveal a lot of personal things about being a Mormon woman. In past years, many books about Brigham Young, Joseph Smith -- well, you name it. Sorry about titles, but it was a long time ago. I fairly devour books, so it's hard to keep track :0

[varina davis]

I believe the book that really piqued my interest when I was a teen-ager was one about the very early pioneer days, something with Kingdom in the title. Maybe you know of it?

[cookiedough]

By coincidence, a poorly timed remark. On that day, the Utah papers had an article about a 4 year old who was killed after being forced to drink a lot of water.

Someone probably thought the post was making fun of that, and complained.

I thought that too, for a second, until I realized who wrote the post, and that it was unlikely s/he knew about the news story.

[Utah Girl]

Ugh, I was reading about that poor little girl's death today. The state is going after the therapists too, apparently they were using that holding therapy technique. They believe that inflicting pain is a way to make the child "bond" with their parents. I read a bit about the therapy, yikes. And the SL Tribune had part of the 911 transcript today, the father almost seemed to be blaming the little girl for her own problems. Very frightening.

[Utah Girl]

Lots of LDS books with Kingdom in the title. Can you remember what it was about?